Josh Kerr ran the race of his life, the only problem was so did someone else - and it wasn't Jakob Ingebrigtsen

Kerr clocked a new national record as he upgraded Tokyo 1500m bronze to silver but American outsider Cole Hocker saw that and raised it.

Few had mentioned his name pre-race, everyone was Googling it exactly 3:27.65 minutes later, his winning time a new Olympic record.

This instant classic was wrongly billed as a straight shoot-out between Kerr and his bitter Norwegian rival Ingebrigtsen, their verbal spats making for plenty of column inches in recent days. But talk is cheap and Hocker had the decisive last word.

Kerr and Ingebrigtsen brought all the pre-race sass and swagger - the Scot in his golden spikes, the Norwegian raising his finger to the crowd to indicate why he was world number one.

Another capacity crowd at the Stade de France were loving it but the pony-tailed American got his tactics spot on, he let the favourites  slug it out and then, when both were on the ropes, kicked for home.

"I can't walk away from a championship disappointed," insisted Kerr, who clocked 3:27.79 to erase Mo Farah's British record.

"I said what my goals were and it was pretty obvious but I've put out a performance that I can be super proud of.

"I ran the fastest and best tactical 1500m of my life and when you start worrying about what other people do, you'll never be satisfied.

"It's not the colour of medal I wanted but it's working towards the right colour from bronze to silver.

"I work on my mental strength day in day out, I was so excited and I knew I could put in a performance I could be proud of. I focused on executing the best 1500m race I could and I did that."

Kerr is just 26 and Ingebrigtsen and Hocker only 23. In four years time in Los Angeles they could be at the peak of their powers and the sequel to the 'race for the ages' is set to be box office.

"It's left me really hungry and ready for more," added Kerr.

"This road is not over and I'm already looking ahead to the next one.

"I've medalled in every major championship in the last four years bar one, I'm secure in myself. I will get the medal I want by the end of my career, so here's to Los Angeles.

"I wanted the gold, I got silver. That’s better than bronze and better than nothing."

Ingebrigtsen released a single “Ingen gjør det bedre” (“Nobody does it better”) pre-Games but found three were and didn't even medal, American Yared Nuguse completing the most improbable podium of these Games.

There is now a firm trend of him bullying opponents in minor races but fading under the bright lights of the really big occasion.

After winning in Tokyo, he'd started favourite in the last two world finals but lost them both to Scots, Jake Wightman in Oregon and Kerr, last year, in Budapest.

Ingebrigtsen took the pace out hard, leading from the front until the final bend when the lactic burned and his hopes went up in smoke. Kerr hit the front, having seemingly got his tactics spot on, only to find Hocker hit the burners.

"My plan was to win but it didn't go according to plan," said Ingebrigtsen, who at least won a gold for stating the obvious.

"I felt very strong in the first couple of laps. I saw I was building a gap so I kept on pushing but it was just 100m too long. The guys finishing in front of me ran a great race.

"It's not always easy to spend your energy wisely. You can't tell if you've judged it right till you hit the wall and I just hit it a little too early."

Hocker's best previous result at world level was sixth, no wonder  he wore an expression of shock as he blinked into the flashbulbs and a sea of microphones.

He was not a reluctant champ but he was certainly unexpected - not even on a long list of medal hopes here for a US team that have struggled in comparison to previous Games.

"I can't even put it into words," he said. "I haven't soaked in the moment yet, I'm sure it will take a while.

"It was unlike anything I've experienced. This is by far the loudest stadium I've ever been in, it was deafening.

"It's so rare I notice anything like that during a race but this was just so overwhelming in a good way. I just saw the line and my body did the rest."

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